An Improperly Hooved Horse
by Your-Loveable-Tiger
Summary: What if Regina's horse lost a horse shoe at a critical moment, how much would one horse shoe change the story we love so much? Stable Queen, AU Snowing


**Summary:**

The following story is one shot revolving around the an inciting incident that caused the story we love to turn out differently and yet so similar.

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**Inciting Incident:**

Regina's horse wasn't properly hooved the day she tried to save Snow White's life.

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Regina and Daniel broke from their kiss as a young girl screams echoed through the valley. Regina ran for her horse and jumped on in pursuit of the frightened girl on a bucking horse. Regina whipped the reigns egging her horse on to run as fast is it could. Beneath the horses hooves one of its shoes came lose and flew off. Regina's horse staggers and falls sending Regina toppling over. Regina feels the wind leave her lungs. She rolls over and looks at her horse, its leg clearly broken; it will have to be put down. The young girls scream echo and fall silent.

"No, No!" screams running over to the fallen girl. Blood is streaming down the girls face from where she landed on a rock. Regina places her ear to the girl's chest but the girl is already silent.

"No, No, No!" cries Regina over the young girl. Regina looks up to see Daniel running over to her. He looks at her expectantly. Regina shakes her head as tears stream down her face.

They were too late.

She was already dead.

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**The following day:**

Regina sat on her bed looking out of her window but not seeing anything. Her mother enters.

"Regina, get dressed," Cora orders her daughter but Regina doesn't hear her. "Regina!" Cora says raising her voice. Regina is forced out of her melancholic thoughts and quickly apologises to her mother. Cora is clearly impatient and uses her magic to dress her daughter. "Come on Regina; there is someone to see you," states Cora leading her daughter away.

In the middle of their great hall stands an old man, roughly the same age as her own father Regina thinks. The man has clearly been crying; his face still streaked with dried tears.

"Your majesty, this is my daughter Regina," says Cora introducing Regina to the king.

"Your Majesty, it is an honour," says Regina just remembering to curtsy in time.

"You are the young woman who tried to save my daughter's life?" asks the King, his voice cracking with sadness and grief. Regina's heart breaks for the man. The little girl on the horse was his daughter, Princess Snow White.

"Yes Your Majesty, and let me express my deepest condolences for your loss," says Regina sincerely, "I'm sorry that I didn't reach her in time," apologises Regina.

"Was she in pain?" the King asks. Regina shakes her head.

"She hit her head on a rock, she… she was already dead when I reached her. I can only hope she didn't suffer," answers Regina now chocking back her own tears.

"Thank you, for trying to save Snow. She's in her mother's arms now, and I'm certain that my late wife Queen Emma will look after Snow in the afterlife," says King Leopold. "Thank you, and good bye," says the King turning and leaving with his knights.

Once they were alone Cora spins to face her daughter. "The Kings daughter and you couldn't save her!" snarls Cora. "You fail the simplest of tasks. Do you realise what we have lost because your horse lost a shoe? You could have been Queen!" says Cora angrily storming off.

"Did you know that the King and his daughter were travelling our lands?" asks Regina fearing her mother's answer. Cora turns around, a fake smile on her face.

"I don't know what you are implying dear?" replies Cora.

Regina places a fake smile on her own face.

"Snow's horse, it didn't go wild on its own did it, Mother?" Regina asks.

"We shall never know now will we dear," replies Cora turning and leaving. Regina strains to keep the polite smile on her face as her mother leaves. Inside her heart and soul are in turmoil. Her mother killed an innocent girl in a plot to make Regina the Queen. She needed to leave.

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**The Stables; a couple hours later:**

"Daniel! Daniel!" calls Regina running into the stables looking for her lover.

"Regina, what's the matter?" he asks her clearly worried.

"That little girl that died, she was the kings daughter," says Regina. Daniels' heart sink.

"The King doesn't blame you does he?" he asks fearing for Regina's safety. Regina shakes her head.

"He thanked me for trying to save her. No, the problem lies with my mother, she orchestrated the entire thing, she wanted me to save Snow so that the King would be indebted to me, and she commented that I could have been Queen. Daniel, she was trying to arrange a marriage to the King by having me save Snow's life, she's always said I was born to be a queen, that's why she named me Regina," says Regina. Daniel pulls her into a hug and comforts her.

"Would you marry the King, if you had the chance?" Daniel asks. Regina shakes her head and pulls away slightly to look Daniel in the eyes.

"I only ever want to marry you Daniel," she says.

"You would choose a simple stable boy over a King?" Daniel asks.

"Yes, I will always choose you Daniel. I love you," affirms Regina. Daniel pulls away and reaches into his bag of personal items and pulls out a ring. He kneels on one knee in front of Regina.

"Then will you marry me?" he asks.

"Yes!" shouts Regina in joy hugging and kissing him. "But we need to leave tonight. My mother would never approve," says Regina.

"Then let's go and find our happy ending," says Daniel

The pair grab separate as Daniel prepares two horses while Regina sneaks back into her room and gathers her things and heads back to Daniel.

Together they flee into the night.

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**The following day at sunset; a farm:**

Ruth walks out of her cottage when she hears the sound of hooves approaching.

"Hello, we don't mean to be a bother but my fiancé and I are looking for shelter for the night, may we sleep in your stables? We won't be a bother," asks Daniel.

"Don't be ridiculous, both of you come inside, there isn't much but there is enough for us all to have dinner, I'm Ruth by the way," says Ruth greeting Regina and Daniel and welcoming them into her home. A young boy peers out of the door. Regina approaches cautiously.

"Hello, I'm Regina, what is your name?" she asks

"My name's David, Miss," the young boy replies.

Meanwhile Daniel is still talking to Ruth.

"Where are you two headed?" she asks.

"We don't know, we're… we're running away from her mother. Regina's mother wouldn't approve," admits Daniel.

"Ah, you're eloping, how romantic. Do you two need a place to stay?" Ruth asks.

Daniel nods, "yes," he admits, "But we wouldn't want to trouble you," he adds quickly.

"It's no trouble, in fact, it's only me and David on this farm, and thing are becoming harder, we could use the help if you could use a home," suggests Ruth.

Daniel motions for Regina to join them, "Ruth has offered us a home if we help her with her farm," he tells Regina.

Regina looks at Ruth with sheer joy and hope, "Thank you so much, you don't know how much this means to us," says Regina. Ruth pulls Regina into a hug. Regina stiffens; not used to being hugged.

'But first, dinner, and some ground rules. You two may be enganged but you will not be sharing a bed under my roof until you've said your vows," says Ruth with an amused twinkle in her eye. Judging by Regina's blush the young woman is still innocent, Daniels awkward shuffle betrays his own innocence.

"There is town nearby, my friend Beverly Lucas could perform the ceremony, and her granddaughter Red could be the flower girl and I'm sure David would be happy to be the ring bearer, we could travel there tomorrow if you like," suggest Ruth.

"We'd love that," says Regina.

"Well then, Dinner, you two must be starved, and once we're all fed we'll begin planning your wedding," says Ruth cheerfully. Regina and Daniel can't help but feel their hearts lighten due to the woman's cheerful hospitality.

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**Ten years later:**

David looks over his flock when he feels a small hand tugging at his shirt. He turns to see Regina and Daniel's daughter Snow.

"Hello Snow, what are you doing here?" he asks

"There is a weird man here to see you," she says shyly. David grins slightly still amused by the young girls crush on him.

"A weird man you say," he says. Snow nods.

"He's scaly, like a crocodile," says Snow nodding her head to emphasis the man's description.

"Well that is odd, we had better go see what he wants from me," says David offering his hand to the young girl as the walk back to the homestead, young Snow skipping alongside him.

As they approach the homestead David can see his mother pacing nervously while the mysterious scaly man sits patiently at their outside table. The sound of hooves and a wagon's creaking wheel approaches as Regina and Daniel return from town with supplies.

"Mommy," calls young Snow racing over to her mother, Regina jumps down from the wagon and lifts her daughter up and hugs her tightly.

"Did you miss me Snow?" asks Regina playfully.

Snow nods and stretches out her arms, "This much," says Snow.

"Well that's a lot, I missed you even more, Snow," says Regina

"I missed you most," says Snow.

Regina and Daniel walk over and see Ruth and David talking in hushed whispers.

"Well hello dearie, fancy seeing you here," says the short scaly man.

"Do we know you?" Regina asks holding her daughter close.

"You may not remember me, we met once, when you were smaller," he says cradling his arms as if he was holding a baby, "more portable," he adds with a devious smirk. "Allow me to introduce myself properly, Rumpelstiltskin," he says bowing deeply and rolling his R's.

"How do you know me?" Regina asks suddenly fearful of the strange man.

"Oh, we don't know each other, but I knew your mother very well, we made several deals, many of which she cheated her way out of paying," says Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One's eyes drift to Regina's daughter. "Oh and what a lovely girl, your daughter I presume, I love children, positively adore them," he says, his high pitched jovial voice sounding sinister to the young family. Snow buries her head in Regina's neck positively scared of the Imp. "What's her name?" he asks.

"Snow," answers Regina.

"Ah, after Snow White, the King's daughter you failed to save, how…interesting," says Rumpelstiltskin. Regina feels guilt rack her; she still mourns for Snow White and sometimes still has nightmares over the young girls death.

"Whatever your business is, complete it and leave, I will not have you scaring my family," says Daniel stepping between the Dark One and his family.

Rumpelstiltskin giggles. "Oh don't worry your pretty little heads, I'm not here for you," says Rumpelstiltskin, he turns and points at David and Ruth, "I'm here for them, a deal to discuss as it were," he says.

"Regina, why don't you and Snow put all the supplies away, and Daniel, the sheep are unattended, could you keep an eye on them will David and I have a talk with this man," suggests Ruth, Regina and Daniel exchange concerned looks but do as they were asked anyway.

"What do you think he wants with David Mommy?" asks Snow.

"I don't know, it isn't our business but if Ruth and David want us to know they will tell us, so don't pester them Snow," says Regina. Snow sighs and pouts cutely, something that always brings Regina unstuck. Regina pulls Snow into a hug and begins tickling her daughter's side as Snow squeals in delight. David storms in angrily. "David, what's wrong?" asks Regina concerned for one of her closet friends and surrogate little brother.

"My mother made a deal with the Dark One when I was born, she traded my twin brother James to King George in order to save the farm," says David.

Regina is shocked, "Your mother traded away your brother, David I'm so sorry, I can only begin to imagine-" says Regina comfortingly but David cuts her off.

"Actually, you can, He made a comment in passing about your mother making the same deal as my mother, only that your mother cheated him out of his end of the deal. Your mother cheated him out of claiming you, you were the price your mother was supposed to pay" says David. Regina is shocked; she remembered her mother bragging about supposedly outsmarting the Dark One but didn't believe it.

"Why was he here David?" Regina asks.

"My brother is dead, he was killed in battle and now King George is looking for a replacement. Me," answers David "King George has offered to help save the farm as long as I pretend to be my brother, He wants me to come as soon as possible,"

"David, you don't need to do this," says Regina.

"No, I do, the farm is struggling, we lose more sheep each year to the Wolf and you and Daniel are skipping meals so that Snow has plenty to eat. If King George can save this farm, ease your struggles and worries, then I will be the Prince he needs," resolves David. Regina can see a fire in David's eyes and knows she won't be able to talk him out of it.

She nods her acceptance, "Be sure to say goodbye to Snow, she'll be devastated, she loves you," says Regina. David nods and walks over to Snow playing in the corner with a doll Daniel had made out of rags and wool from one of their sheep.

"Snow," says David sitting down with the young girl on the floor. Snow looks up at him expectantly. "I'm going to have to go away, for a while," he says, Snows smile drops. "You see, apparently I'm to be a prince in the neighbouring kingdom, and the King needs me," says David.

"You're a prince?" Snow asks excitedly.

"Yes, that odd scaly man said so himself," says David.

"He scares me," says Snow shivering at the memory of the man and at the way he'd looked at her.

"Well, he's going to take me to the Kingdom so that I can be prince that fights Dragons and saves villages," says David

"And Princesses?" asks Snow.

"Well the only Princess I see is you," jokes David.

"You're silly, I'm not a princess," says Snow.

"You're not?" he exclaims in fake shock, "But you're the fairest in all the lands, surely you must be a princess," declares David. Regina and Snow giggle at David's little display. "I promise you Snow, I'll visit whenever I can,"

Snow hugs David tightly and starts crying; "But I don't want you to have to visit me, I don't want you to leave," cries Snow. David cradles the little girl.

"I'm truly sorry Snow," says David letting go of the young girl and standing up. He quickly grabs his meagre belongings while Snow clings to his leg.

"Snow sweetie, let go of David," pleads Regina trying to pull her daughter off David, Snow only cries harder. David hugs Snow once more, and steps outside, Ruth and Rumpelstiltskin are waiting.

"David, I don't have much to give you, but I can give you this," she says holding out a ring, "It belonged to my grandmother and my mother, I want you to have it, should you ever find someone special to give it to," says Ruth handing him her wedding ring. David accepts it and hugs his mother.

"David, I will always find you," says Snow.

"And I will always Find you Snow, Goodbye," says David, and with a puff of purple smoke he and Rumpelstiltskin vanish. Snow's cries become louder and Regina and Ruth hug her tightly.

"It's ok Snow, David's just on an important quest to find his happy ending," says Ruth soothingly.

"But he promised me after he found me in the woods that he would always find me," she sobbed.

"And he will, because Snow, I have a feeling that you will be instrumental in David's happy ending, that you will grow into a great woman, and then you will find him," says Regina. Snow looks at her curiously.

"You really think so?" she asks in small voice.

"Yes Snow, I know in my heart, that when you're older, You and David will meet again," says Regina, "and he'll have missed you so much and then you'll both go on adventures together, fight dragons, save kingdoms and defeat evil queens," says Regina.

"Like the Queen of Hearts?" asks Snow. Ruth looks at Regina gauging Regina's response. A couple of years ago Cora had killed King Leopold and in a bloody and bitter civil war had gained control and crowned herself Queen of Hearts, she now ruled with an iron fist and sent out patrols monthly looking for her run away daughter.

"Yes, like the Queen of Hearts," confirms Regina.

Snow nods; "Then I shall have to start immediately, the sooner I can become a brave knight, then the sooner I can see David again," says Snow.

"A brave knight, not a princess?" asks Regina.

Snow pokes out her tongue, "I can save myself, I don't need a prince charming," says Snow.

"Not even if David was prince Charming?" asks Regina.

"Maybe, if it's David," admits Snow as she gets up and runs off to tell her father the great news that she was going to become a knight.

"You should really stop encouraging her crush on David, he's ten summers older than her, it will only end in heart break for her," admonishes Ruth.

Regina turns to her, "I don't think so, like I said to Snow, something in my heart tells me that theirs will be a timeless love, when she becomes a young woman, I'm certain that they will find each other and not even dark forces or my mother will keep them apart," states Regina.

"Snow White and Prince Charming, that will be a tale," says Ruth, "I hope you're right Regina," says Ruth walking towards her now empty home with a heavy heart.

"Good luck David," says Regina. She looks over at Daniel carrying Snow back on his shoulders. "Find your happy ending, like I found mine," she whispers.

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**Eight years later:**

David eyed the knight that saved him from King Georges' men with great surprise and awe. Even after eight years King George still wanted David's head for helping Abigail revive her true love Frederick and end the arranged betrothal between David and Abigail. For years Abigail and Frederick had shielded David in their kingdom but David had decided to finally end things once and for all.

"Your name kind sir?" asks David.

The knight removes their helmet revealing Snow, she smiles at David, "I told you I will always find you," says Snow. David is shocked, the little girl he played with, had tea parties with had grown in a beautiful young woman.

"Snow," he says still not believing his eyes.

"David," she says. Without a word they run and embrace each other tightly. "What are you doing in King George's Kingdom, he still hunts you," asks Snow.

"I'm here to end his tyranny, I'm taking back the kingdom," declares David.

Snow smiles, "Then I guess I'll just have to help you, someone has to save you, I can't have a poor Charming Prince in danger now can I," teases Snow. David rolls his eyes.

"Your parents and my mother? Are they alright? I heard word that your grandmother was still hunting them" he asks her urgently,

Snow smiles; "yes, they are safe, we had to abandon the farm though, my Grandmother's men found us, but we met some dwarves that took us in and are protecting us along with Red and her Granny," says Snow.

"Then let us take back the Kingdom, together," says David. Snow smiles and pulls him into a kiss. A rainbow light erupts from their joined lips and spreads out over the forest.

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**Months later:**

David and Snow looked at each other, their love visible for all to see. Daniel and Regina standing proudly with Lancelot, only these three and the happy couple knew that Snow and David were already married, married in secret at Lake Nostros, giving Ruth her dying wish to see her son happy.

Suddenly the doors are flung open.

"Sorry I'm late," says Cora standing proud and intimidating. She strides down the aisle towards her granddaughter and husband. "How rude of you not to invite your own grandmother to your wedding. Clearly you take after your mother, always an embarrassment to me," says Cora.

"You are not welcome here mother," says Regina grabbing David's sword and standing between her mother and her daughter.

"I'm just here to give my daughter a wedding gift on this happy…happy day," says Cora, " my gift is one year, this year in fact, today and this year you should all celebrate, because next year, at the next winter solstice, I shall unleash a curse that will destroy your happiness. Destroy all your happiness and Happy endings," says Cora spitting out the final two words with revulsion. "And the only happy ending, will be mine," declares Cora. She turns and starts to walk back down the aisle when David shouts. He rushes forward and grabs his sword out of Regina's hand and with one throw launches it at the Queen of Hearts. Cora smirks and disappears in a burst of dark purple smoke.

David hugs Snow close as Regina gazes at where her mother had been moments before. Fear fills her every fibre. Daniel wraps his arms around her; "It's alright My Love, your mother can't hurt us anymore, we will defeat her, good always wins," says Daniel.

Regina turns to face her husband, "No, she will win, you don't know what she is capable of, you didn't see her vault of hearts," says Regina.

"We will win, because I have faith in our daughter, Snow and David will win, and your mother will be defeated," says Daniel with such conviction that Regina believes him.

**Epilogue:**

Regina, Daniel, Snow and David searched far and wide for a way to defeat Cora, their solution came in the form of a prophecy from Rumpelstiltskin, the prophesised daughter of Snow and David would be born, and on her twenty-eighth birthday she would find them, break the curse and save them.

Regina watched as her daughter gave birth to her granddaughter Emma, and Regina knew, with one look at Emma that just like she knew her daughter Snow would find David again and find their happy ending, that her granddaughter Emma would find them and break Cora's dark curse.

Together Daniel and David fought off Cora's men as Regina hurried to the magical wardrobe and placed her granddaughter inside, "Emma, find us, find your parents, save us all," said Regina closing the latch on the wardrobe. Daniel staggers in, bleeding from his side, Regina rushes over to him.

"How heartbreaking," comments Cora walking in, "He hasn't got much longer left for this world, or any world beside the afterlife," says Cora. "It is what he deserves for taking your from me, my dear daughter,"

"Why are you doing this?" asks Regina cradling Daniel's head in her lap.

Cora bends down "because this is my happy ending," snarls Cora. Regina blinks back tears.

"What did you do to Snow and David?" asks Regina.

"Oh, my granddaughter and her husband are fine, they are now my prisoners, as will everyone soon be in this new land, but where is my great-granddaughter?" asks Cora.

"Somewhere you will never get to her, somewhere safe until she is ready to defeat you mother," says Regina, "She will defeat you mother, good will win, good will always defeat evil, mother," says Regina defiantly. Cora just laughs as the castle is ripped apart around them as the curse takes hold.

This is the End of Daniel and Regina's story, but Emma's is only just beginning.

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Just to confirm; Regina's daughter Snow was Snow White's reincarnation, and yes she was a grown woman when she found David again, she was 18 and he was 28. Emma is now Daniel and Regina's Granddaughter and Cora's great-granddaughter.

Cora is now the Evil Queen that Emma will have to defeat if I decide to continue this story, which I can't honestly confirm that I will, maybe I'll put it up for adoption if anyone wants to write the sequel.

I hope you enjoyed, I don't normally write Stable Queen or Snowing (I prefer Swan Queen, Red Beauty and Rumbelle) but I still love these two ships and wondered what Regina's life had been like if she and Daniel had gotten a chance to be together. But I couldn't kill of Snow permanently so she was reincarnated as Regina's daughter so she could find her true love in her next life.

Your Loveable Tiger


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